[00:00:03] ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. [A. CALL TO ORDER: Establish a quorum] WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE HAYS CISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES. THANKS FOR THOSE COMING OUT AND JOINING US THIS MORNING. AND TO ANYONE LISTENING ONLINE, WELCOME. TODAY IS TUESDAY, APRIL THE 2ND, 2024, AND THE TIME IS 8:05 A.M. A QUORUM HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ARE PRESENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MR. VELA AND MR. FLORES. BEFORE WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO WERE AFFECTED BY THE BUS CRASH AND ESPECIALLY THE LOSS OF LIFE THAT WE EXPERIENCED AS A DISTRICT. SO LET'S TAKE A MOMENT TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT EVERYBODY, THANK THANK THANK YOU FOR THAT. [B. CLOSED SESSION] AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL ADJOURN TO A CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 551 SUBCHAPTERS D AND E, OR TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 418183F. THE TIME IS STILL 8:05 A.M.. ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION. [C. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION - immediately following Closed Session] THANKS, EVERYBODY, FOR BEING HERE AND LISTENING ONLINE. THE TIME IS 8:34 A.M.. A QUORUM HAS ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED. ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ARE PRESENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MR. VELA AND MR. FLORES. SO WE ARE GOING TO GO STRAIGHT TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT REPORT, DR. [D. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT] WRIGHT. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT MCMANUS AND GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO EXTEND FROM THE MONTOYA RODRIGUEZ FAMILY HOW THEY APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT AND PARTICULARLY DURING THE PROCESSIONAL, THE STUDENTS AND STAFF AT TOBIAS, AT HEMPHILL AND AT SIMON ALONG THE WAY. THE OUTPOURING OF LOVE THAT THE FAMILY HAS RECEIVED IS MUCH APPRECIATED. AND JUST WANT TO REMIND THE COMMUNITY THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THEM IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AS WE AS WE MOVE ON. AND OUR GOAL RIGHT NOW, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, IS ALL ABOUT HEALING BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY. AND WE STILL HAVE OUR CRISIS COUNSELORS AT TOM GREEN. THEY'LL BE THERE A COUPLE MORE WEEKS. OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE LONG TERM CARE FOR EACH OF THE THE VICTIMS INVOLVED, SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED, AND ALSO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO TALK TO, TO PEOPLE AS, AS NECESSARY. AND SO REALLY YOU KNOW, DURING A TIME OF TRAGEDY, YOU OFTENTIMES SEE HOW POWERFUL SUPPORT IS IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR FOR THEIR PRAYERS, FOR THEIR DONATIONS FOR, FOR THE GIFT OF FOOD, FOR THE GIFT OF TIME. AND THEN JUST BEING THERE TO GIVE, GIVE A HUG WHEN NECESSARY. SO JUST THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY THE HARDEST TIME FOR THE FAMILY AND THE VICTIMS IS AS THINGS PROGRESS AND LIFE GOES BACK TO NORMAL FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT'S NOT GOING TO GO BACK TO NORMAL FOR THEM. SO LET'S CONTINUE TO LOVE THEM UP AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR. WRIGHT. APPRECIATE THOSE KIND WORDS. TEAM, I ALREADY CHECKED WITH MISS GLORIA. THERE ARE NO GREEN SHEETS FOR PUBLIC FORUMS, SO WE'RE GOING TO JUMP AHEAD TO ITEM F1A THAT'S ON PAGE SEVEN. [F.1.a. Consideration and possible approval of the Superintendent's Recommendation for contractual employment of the Principal of Pfluger Elementary School, the Director of Transportation, and the Director of Career and Technical Education] THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYS CISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO CONTRACTUALLY EMPLOY THE PRINCIPAL OF PFLUGER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, AND THE DIRECTOR OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AS DISCUSSED. SO MOVED. MOVED BY MISS RUNKLE, SECONDED BY MISS OROSCO. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MISS OROSCO, I JUST WANT TO SAY, AS WE HIRE THE NEW DIRECTOR OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, I COULD NOT THANK SUSIE MITCHELL ENOUGH FOR ALL THE WORK SHE HAS DONE HERE IN HAYS CISD, WHO HAS MADE US AN OUTSTANDING DISTRICT FOR CTE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW THERE'S BIG SHOES TO FILL, AND I THINK I DEFINITELY KNOW WE HAVE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THAT JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS OROSCO, FOR THAT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE'VE COMPLETED DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO, DR. WRIGHT. THANK YOU. SO IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO THE PUBLIC OUR NEW PRINCIPAL FOR PFLUGER ELEMENTARY WILL BE DANIELLE SANDOVAL. DANIELLE IS CURRENTLY AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OVER AT JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL. SHE HAS SEVEN YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE, FOUR YEARS OF ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL EXPERIENCE. AND SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT HER BEING ABLE TO LEAD THE PFLUGER FALCONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. NEXT THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR CURRENT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND NOW OUR DIRECTOR, CASSANDRA [00:05:05] BAER. SO CASSANDRA, CONGRATULATIONS [APPLAUSE]. SO CASSANDRA HAS SIX YEARS AS A BUS DRIVER, EIGHT YEARS AS A COORDINATOR AND SIX YEARS AS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. I'VE COME TO KNOW CASSANDRA VERY WELL. SHE SHE HAS A GREAT HEART FOR TRANSPORTATION. SHE CARES ABOUT OUR KIDS. SHE CARES ABOUT OUR DRIVERS, CARES ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. AND YOU KNOW HOW I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE MOST POWERFUL FORM OF COMMUNICATION IS LISTENING. SHE'LL ACTUALLY LISTEN. AND I LOVE THAT ABOUT HER. AND SO, CASSANDRA CONGRATULATIONS. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THIS NEW CAPACITY [APPLAUSE]. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ESPERANZA JUST MENTIONED THERE ARE SOME SHOES TO FILL, SIR. AND I THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT GUY FOR THE JOB. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO THE COMMUNITY MR. RICK BOO. RICK, CONGRATULATIONS [APPLAUSE]. SO SO RICK IS NOT NEW TO HAYS CISD. HE'S WORKED IN THE CTE DEPARTMENT HERE BEFORE WITH SUSIE, AND HE HAS 15 TOTAL YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE, THREE YEARS AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH, FIVE YEARS AS A COORDINATOR, AND FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS HE'S BEEN THE CAREER TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION DIRECTOR AT SEGUIN ISD. AND SO WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE RICK COME BACK. HE'S FAMILIAR WITH OUR TEACHERS, HE'S FAMILIAR WITH OUR PROGRAM. HE WILL BE ABLE TO TO TAKE US WHERE WE ARE WITH, WITH, WITH EASE BECAUSE HE'S SO FAMILIAR, BECAUSE HE AND SUSIE HAVE WORKED SO WELL TOGETHER. SO, RICK, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT HAVING YOU JOIN OUR TEAM AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL [APPLAUSE]. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, DR. WRIGHT AND THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS NEW HIRES. SUPER HAPPY TO HAVE YOU IN HAYS CISD. EITHER AS A NEW PERSON OR COMING BACK OR BEING PROMOTED, IT'S WONDERFUL. OKAY, TEAM, WE ARE ON PAGE EIGHT, WHICH IS ITEM F2. [F.2. Consideration and possible adoption of a resolution regarding Superintendent of the Year Nomination] THIS IS CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION NOMINATING DR. WRIGHT FOR THE TASB SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD. WE'VE GOT A FEW MINUTES. I THOUGHT I WOULD TAKE THAT AND ACTUALLY READ THE RESOLUTION. I WON'T TAKE BUT A MOMENT. DR. WRIGHT LOVES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HIM IN PUBLIC AND SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT HIM. HE'S A BIG FAN, SO I'M GOING TO EMBARRASS HIM FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES. SO THIS IS A RESOLUTION NOMINATING DR. ERIC WRIGHT FOR THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR, WHEREAS DR. ERIC WRIGHT HAS SERVED AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR HAYS CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT SINCE JANUARY 2018, WHICH IS MORE THAN THREE YEARS. IS A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, IS IN A DISTRICT WHOSE BOARD IS AN ACTIVE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS MEMBER, IS CERTIFIED AND MEETS THE STATE BOARD FOR EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS, AND WOULD BE AN ACTIVE SUPERINTENDENT AT THE TIME OF THE NEXT TEX EDCON A ND WHEREAS, DURING HIS 36 YEAR CAREER AS AN EDUCATOR IN TEXAS, INCLUDING MORE THAN HALF THAT TIME AS A SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, DR. ERIC WRIGHT HAS AND CONTINUES TO DISPLAY EXEMPLARY AND VISIONARY LEADERSHIP TOWARD IMPROVING STUDENT PERFORMANCE, STRONG LEADERSHIP SKILLS, DEDICATION TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN THE DISTRICT, AND IS COMMITTED TO PUBLIC SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION. AND WHEREAS, EDUCATION IS IN DR. WRIGHT'S DNA, HAVING A FATHER WHO WAS A RETIRED PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, A MOTHER WHO WAS A RETIRED PUBLIC SCHOOL NURSE, AND A SPOUSE WHO WAS A RETIRED PUBLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND ACADEMIC LEADER. AND WHEREAS DR. ERIC WRIGHT AS THE LONGEST SERVING SUPERINTENDENT IN THE DISTRICT AND A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, HAS PROVIDED ESSENTIAL STABILITY IN A RAPIDLY GROWING DISTRICT DURING SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES IN HISTORY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS. AND WHEREAS, DR. ERIC WRIGHT'S UNWAVERING MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT FEELS EMPOWERED, HAS OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE INTERESTS, IS EQUIPPED FOR SUCCESS, HAS OUTLETS FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION, DEVELOPS A STRONG FOUNDATION IN FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS, FEELS A SENSE OF BELONGING AND INCLUSION, AND IS PREPARED FOR LIFE BEYOND GRADUATION. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE HAYS CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL MOST PROUDLY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY NOMINATES DR. ERIC WRIGHT SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR HIS AND EXEMPLARY AND VISIONARY LEADERSHIP TOWARD IMPROVING STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN OUR SCHOOLS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS HONOR OF BEING NAMED THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARD SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE YEAR. THE SUGGESTED MOTION IS THAT THE HAYS CISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, NOMINATING DR. ERIC WRIGHT TO RECEIVE THE TASB SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD AS PRESENTED. MOVED BY MRS. OROSCO SECONDED BY MISS RUNKLE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. CONGRATULATIONS, DR. WRIGHT [APPLAUSE]. [00:10:02] WE'RE EXCITED TO DO THIS AND IT IS A REALLY WELL DESERVED ACCOLADE. AND I'M DARN CONFIDENT YOU'RE GONNA GET IT. ALL RIGHT TEAM. SO WE ARE NOW UP TO ANY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. OKAY. SO THAT MAKES THE RECAP PRETTY QUICK. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS, WHICH OUR NEXT ONE IS APRIL 15TH RIGHT HERE IN THE KUNKEL ROOM AT STARTING AT 5:30 P.M.. [I. UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS] SEEING NO OBJECTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 8:43 A.M.. GOOD JOB TEAM. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.